OPERATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

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OPERATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS PAST FUTURE- OF
THE SAC LONG RANGE SPORTFISHING FLEET AT THE
REVILLAGIGEDO ARCHIPELAGO BIOSPHERE RESERVE
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The Sportfishing Association of California (SAC)
represents the boats that operate long range
sportfishing trips out of San Diego into the
waters of Mexican jurisdiction.   This fleet has
since before 1970 fished for wahoo and giant
yellowfin tuna in to 500 meters from the islands
of the Revillagigedo Archipelago, the fishing
grounds of those great fighting fish. At
present, SAC is limited to only 10 boats and 60
trips per year by agreement with the Mexican
government.   These custom sportfishers
pioneered the fishery at the Revillagigedo
Archipelago, and much of the big game tackle used
today was developed as a result of the tuna and
wahoo landed by the SAC fleet over the years. Yet
these big benefits came at a very modest impact
on the highly migratory species taken there.
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Built with long range operations specifically in
mind, these boats have, over the years, modified
their operations so that many of their trips
start and end in Cabo San Lucas.   The operations
of the fleet have until recently brought
significant revenues to that coastal community
and its economy.
As you can see, these boats are perfect platforms
to test an anglers talent against these great
game fish.
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As the target of these trips is yellowfin tuna
and wahoo, it is imperative that the boats
continue to have access in to 500 meters from the
islands, as this distance has already been
negotiated over the years and is the greatest
distance from an island where tuna and wahoo can
be intercepted. To be pushed farther offshore
would doom these popular trophy trips.
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While these pictures make it appear that large
catches of fish take place, the reality is that
the entire catch of the SAC fleet in one year is
less than one quarter of one trip of a large tuna
purse seiner, and anglers rarely bring home a
legal limit.   More specifically, the average
catch by anglers on SAC boats at the
Revillagigedo Archipelago in 2001 was 6.7 tuna
per angler per trip and 5.7 wahoo per angler per
trip. This compares to a legal trip limit, which
is 15 tuna and 15 wahoo. As a point of interest,
those catches included fish taken at Hurricane
Bank, which is outside the Reserve, so the
average catch per angler WITHIN the Reserve was
even lower.   When you look at the tourism
dollars to Mexico from each kilo of fish landed,
they are many, many times what would be generated
if sold on the commercial market.
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Pictures of Interior of Boats.
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ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE BY SAC BOATS   As you can
see, these boats are comfortable, could be
available as scientific platforms, and the fleet
is ready and willing to offer space on these
trips to scientists or other observers.   If
the Mexican Government has interest, the skippers
would be happy to provide reports or observations
on vessel movement within the Reserve, so as to
help control unauthorized and/or illegal
activities around the islands, as well as
providing reports on sizes and weights of fish
taken.
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Authorizing a controlled trophy recreational
fishery for yellowfin tuna and wahoo at the
Revillagigedo Islands would continue to foster
the positive vision and prestige for Mexico as
the giant yellowfin tuna capital of the
world.     Such a limited trophy fishery that
catches only 225 thousand kilos of tuna a season
would bring into Mexico well over 1,000,000 a
year, which is over 4 US/Kilo for every kilo of
fish caught.   This limited Revillagigedo Island
trophy fishery targets only mature fish that no
longer breed, and is clearly insignificant
compared to the commercial tuna fleet that
harvests almost 32 million kilos of yellowfin
tuna annually, with an average price of .50
US/kilo.
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As the nearest island of the Revillagigedo
Archipelago is more than 200 miles from any
population center, such a controlled recreational
fishery would assure that this Reserve would
continue in the future as an important sanctuary
for all but the healthy highly migratory species
of yellowfin tuna and wahoo. Furthermore, there
are no negative impacts on the highly migratory
species or the habitats of the area.   To insure
the health of other more resident species, SAC
recommends that all vessels fishing the Reserve
voluntarily release all species caught except
tuna, wahoo and baitfish.   As there has been
some concern expressed regarding the stocks of
wahoo in the Reserve, SAC suggests that the trip
limit on wahoo be reduced to some lower level,
perhaps 10.   Controlling the number of boats in
the Reserve would help provide a more rewarding
angling experience, and SAC would support
discussion of limiting the number of boats
visiting the Revillagigedo Islands annually. As
mentioned earlier, the SAC fleet has been limited
for years.   As trolling appears to cause
incidental injuries to resident shark populations
as well as seabird stocks, SAC supports
prohibiting trolling as a condition of any
permits to the Reserve. This requirement could
be for waters inside 6 miles.
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As advertising and video documentation of these
trophy game fish trips is integral to the future
success of the boats, the owners would be pleased
to include suggestions for Mexican sportfishing
destinations in their ads and videos, as well as
including general promotional ideas for visiting
Mexico.   Bob Fletcher is the President of the
Sportfishing Association of California. His
experience and expertise in fisheries management
is noted throughout the sportfishing industry.
He is a past member of the Pacific Fishery
Management Council, a past Chief Deputy Director
of the California Department of Fish Game, and
has recently been appointed to the Secretary of
Commerces Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee,
known as MAFAC. His knowledge and experience is
always available to the Mexican Government when
needed.
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During the season of the SAC fleets Revillagigedo
Islands trips, most of the boats are temporarily
imported, and thus pay the government revenues
through the collection of I.V.A. and I.S.R. taxes
as well as licenses and port clearance
fees.   Private sector companies such as Naviera
Turistica del Pacifico and Agencia Barreda,
Conyser realize significant economic benefits
while providing services to the long range
fleet.   Most of these trips require that
passengers fly down and back, and many anglers
come to Cabo a day or two earlier, plus many
bring family members who use local hotels and
other tourism services.   One of the most popular
ways of advertising is through radio talk shows
on fishing, and the hosts of these shows would be
pleased to provide public service announcements
on the rewards of vacationing in Mexico. They
are already providing regular reports on fishing
activities at various Mexican sportfishing
destinations.   As other sportfishing
opportunities during winter months are limited,
reissuance of permits to sportfishing at the
Revillagigedo Archipelago Reserve will
significantly increase sales of Mexican
sportfishing licenses and boat permit fees.   A
healthy San Diego sportfishing fleet could
provide some financial assistance to the
management of fisheries within the Revillagigedo
Archipelago Biosphere Reserve.
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In the past, representatives of the Mexican
government, including the Fisheries Secretariat
and the subsequent Under-secretariat of
Fisheries, SEMARNAP, as well as the National
Commission of Natural Protected Areas, SEMARNAT,
have supported sportfishing activities in to
waters 500 meters from the islands of the
Revillagigedo Biosphere Reserve.   Recreational
fisheries for yellowfin tuna and wahoo are
authorized in Mexican law and these fish
populations are non-threatened and are in good
health.   Ending sportfishing access to the
Revillagigedo Islands Biosphere Reserve (to the
500 meter line) makes no biological sense, and
would eliminate a significant amount of revenue
to Mexico, both to coastal economies and to the
nation.   The Presidential Decree that created
the Reserve specifically authorized sportfishing
IN the Reserve. To expand beyond the 500 meter
line would eliminate sportfishing within this
famed game fish area.   IN CLOSING, SAC
respectfully requests support for issuance of
Permits to again fish for yellowfin tuna and
wahoo at the popular fishing grounds of the
Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve.